The present invention is directed generally to the door lock and latch mechanism arts and more particularly to a novel security door knob and escutcheon assembly which prevents removal, vandalism or tampering with the lock from either side of a door, once the door is in the closed position.
Many door latch mechanisms are provided with various security features, so as to normally prevent disassembly and removal of the knobs or lock mechanisms from at least one side of the associated door. In this regard, it is generally known to provide an escutcheon plate or the like overlying the latch and lock mechanisms on at least one side of a door, which may be called the "secured" side.
The above-described conventional system may not, however, always prevent disassembly or removal of the associated door knob from the secured side of the door. To the contrary, the door knob and the associated latch-engaging shaft may be removed by use of special or improved tools. Hence, access to the latch mechanism may be accomplished even from the secured side of the door. Accordingly, considerable damage and/or vandalism may yet be accomplished, without actually achieving opening of the locked door, with the above prior art arrangement.
Moreover, neither the foregoing nor other conventional assemblies normally make any provision for preventing disassembly of the door knob and related components from the opposite or non-secured side of the door. In this regard, in many applications it may be desirable to secure both sides of the door. For example, in penal institutions or the like, the "inside" of the door and correspondingly the lock and latch will be accessible from the cell of the inmate, and hence an anti-tampering or security design is desirable. Also, it is desirable to prevent tampering with the latch, knobs and associated escutcheon or mounting plate assemblies from the other or "outside" of such a door.